


Bluebell

by Rafira



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: M/M, Sefikura, Sefikura Week, Sefikura Week 2021, Trooper!Cloud, hanahaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:47:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29096010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rafira/pseuds/Rafira
Summary: - Sefikura Week 2021 – 6 – Hanahaki –When Zack drags Cloud into the General's office for lunch, he doesn't expect much. The man doesn't owe him his time or attention. But Sephiroth won't even say a word to him.
Relationships: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Comments: 8
Kudos: 67
Collections: Sefikura (Sephiroth/Cloud) Week - Yearly Event





	Bluebell

\- Sefikura Week 2021 – 6 – Hanahaki –

Love rarely blooms in the dark.

Cloud tried not to lag behind too much, but Zack was basically pulling him along, mouth going as fast as his long legs.

“Anyway, by the time I caught up to them killed the Malboro the thirds were all soaked in this nasty liquid – smelled so bad! Took em three showers before anyone could stand being in the same room with them. Morale of the story I guess – don’t stand at either end of a Malboro!”

“Thanks Zack, I’ll definitely remember that. Hey – wait, why are we passing your office?”

“Oh, yeah! I thought we’d have lunch with Seph today!” the older man answered breezily, not slowing down at all, despite how Cloud immediately tried to put the brakes on. The blonde found himself dragged down the corridor instead.

“Seph – Sephiroth? The _General_? Zack, I can’t have lunch with the General – why didn’t you tell me?” he protested futilely.

“Because I knew you’d say no. Now come on, it’s fine. I’ve told him about you before, and you’re a fan of his so it will be great!”

“You – you told him about me? What did you say??” Cloud looked up at him, wide-eyed.

“Cloudy.” Zack sandwiched Cloud’s rapidly flushing face between two large hands. He pressed, distorting the blonde’s face into chubby cheeky and pouty lips. “Listen, deep breath. He’s just a guy, you’re just a guy. We’re just gonna go in here and have a chill lunch as three dudes stuck in the tower on a Sunday, okay?”

“Ow-kay,” Cloud muttered through his fishy mouth. Zack released him, and he rubbed his cheeks a bit, looking miffed but with his oncoming panic successfully curtailed. “Sure, I can be chill.”

“Great, let’s gooo!” he pushed open the office door that was emblazoned with ‘ _Sephiroth_ ’, pulling Cloud in behind him.

“Here we are! One lunch date, three burgers – again, I would like to clarify that these _are_ the best burgers in Midgar and I will accept no further discussion on the matter – and three people to eat the burgers! Cloud, this is Seph, Seph, Cloud!”

“Hi,” Cloud said, slightly softer than he meant it to be. “I hope we’re not intruding – sorry, this was Zack’s idea.”

“Zack’s good idea!” the man in question chipperly answered, opening the brown paper bag onto the low coffee table and distributing boxes with burgers, containers of chips, and cups of soft drink. He brought out a small mountain of napkins and created a haphazard pile in the middle of the desk.

Cloud dared to glance up at the General, who was still seated behind his desk, seemingly finishing off a pile of paperwork. He froze as his eyes flicked up for a second, meeting Cloud’s head on, and then flicked down again.

Cloud thought it was weird that the man hadn’t even greeted them, but he had of course heard the rumours that the General was standoffish and sometimes rude. Fine, that’s fine. Zack had told him it would be fine.

He perched tentatively on one of the plush chairs surrounding the coffee table. The wood was beautifully polished, a whorl running through the centre, a feature even with all the burger joint trappings spread along the table. This coffee table alone was the fanciest thing he had ever seen up close. He felt out of place.

He glanced at Zack. The Soldier took a huge pull of cola, then shovelled a handful of chips into his mouth.

“Seph, you coming down here or what? Can’t you smell how good those burgers are?” he cajoled, through a mouthful of chip.

Cloud didn’t dare _stare_ at him, but he did see the General raise from his desk. He was tall - taller than he looked from across the hall last time Cloud had seen him. He seemed so intimidating, all broad shoulders and black leather, long, silver hair waterfalling down his back. He had to remind himself again not to stare, _seriously!_ Again, he swore Sephiroth looked right at him. He couldn’t read that expression at all – not that he was very good at it. After all, he was a loser back in Nibelheim who didn’t have opportunity to develop social skills, like Zack. He could be pissing Sephiroth off right now with his mere presence and he wouldn’t even be able to tell. _Oh fuck, why was he here?_

Sephiroth took a seat with them, leaning forward to regard the burger with what seemed to be trepidation.

“Iths the special-“ Zack said, around a mouthful of burgers. Cloud wondered faintly if everyone in Gonaga had no table manners, or is that just the Zack Special. “The special burgher – bacon – eggh – Sa- “ he watched him swallow. ‘”Special sauce! It’s the best!”

Cloud watched Sephiroth peel off his gloves, finger by finger, and set them aside. He swallowed, watching the man’s long fingers.

He looked away, and took a bite of his own burger. He couldn’t help but let out a little noise, surprised at how _good_ it was. _Damnit,_ he hated it when Zack was right about things like these. It was extremely saucy, though. The onion felt like it was trying to slip out the bottom in a stream of gooey egg and barbeque sauce. He tried to subtly squeeze harder at the bottom to hold it in, but that just seemed to make the burger start coming out the sides.

Cloud looked up after his bite see Sephiroth looking at him. The man was sitting straight in his chair, and his expression was – his expression, Cloud couldn’t even _start to comprehend_ what that expression could possibly be, but it was surely not _pleasure_ at having some backwater hick in his office _moaning_ into a burger.

He could feel himself flushing, pink.

_Fuck._ Cloud cursed himself. _Get it together, you embarrassing idiot._

Still, Sephiroth’s eyes were on him. It might be subtle – it wasn’t like he was turning his head to look at Cloud, but he could see his gaze. It wasn’t like Cloud was able to hide – they were all sitting diagonal to each other.

He tried to subtly dab at his face with a napkin, wondering if possibly it was sauce on his cheek or something else. The napkin came away clean.

“Soooo!” Zack interrupted, breaking the silence. He had finished his burger, his chips, and was reaching over to snag Sephiroth’s chips too. The other man still hadn’t picked up his burger. “Even emptier than usual for a weekend – lots of people went away for the long weekend! Weren’t tempted to go anywhere for the weekend, Cloud?”

_Thank you Zack, for not calling me some embarrassing nickname_ , Cloud thought quickly as he swallowed another bite of his burger. It was slowly disintegrating into a saucy mess in his hands.

“Well, I can’t get home and back in only three days, and I’m not familiar enough with the eastern continent to go somewhere here by myself. It’s fine though – although,” _be confident, Cloud!_ “I’m sorry you have to work on the weekend, Sir,” he dared to look at the other man.

Sephiroth looked back.

Straight at him.

He said nothing.

Cloud watched, perturbed, as the other man lower lip twitched – was he going to talk? But he just stretched his mouth out into a line, and he – did his eyebrows furrow a bit?

Was he – was he angry at Cloud for asking that?

Cloud felt like he was about to start sweating. What had he done to offend the General so bad?

The man put his hand to his mouth, and Cloud watched as instead of saying something, he turned his face and coughed into his hand, twice.

Cloud put the remains of his burger back in the box.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you – really – but I’d better go now.” He grabbed a napkin for his fingers and hurried to stand up. He was trying hard not to look at Sephiroth, but it was hard when the other man was now clearly staring at the wall, avoiding looking at Cloud.

“Cloud – wait” Zack started, standing a second after Cloud did. “Just a –“

But Cloud was already opening the office door. “I gotta go – study – bye.” The two Soldiers watched as the cadet let himself out in a rush, closing the door firmly behind him.

He walked briskly down the hall, trying not to shake, trying not to be _upset_. But he couldn’t help it – new start in Midgar his ass. Here he was with evidence that he was truly such a miserable being that people would rather not say a word to him.

Back in the office, Zack stood, one hand outstretched at the door. He turned, slowly.

Sephiroth was still seated, hand to his mouth.

“What the hell, man?” he asked, exasperated. “You told me you wanted to meet him, so I dragged him all the way here and you _ignore him_?”

Still Sephiroth said nothing.

“Seph, comeon man – say something. What the hell was that?” Zack was getting angrier now.

Sephiroth opened his mouth – but instead of words, he gave a small cough and a handful of small, blue flowers tumbled out of his mouth. He stuck his long tongue out, and peeled a few loose petals off it.

“What.” Zack stared. “What the hell.”

It took a while of moogling to figure it out. Hanahaki, the type of old wives tale that was _actually true,_ although the rate of occurrence seemed to be pretty low.

Sephiroth ate his cooling, congealing burger. It was still delicious, leagues better than cafeteria food. Zack ate Cloud’s abandoned fries, cackling.

“Seriously, Seph? You can’t just have a crush like a normal person – you have to have a freaking _disease_ over it? Like, I get that Cloudster is cute and all but – aren’t you overdoing it?”

“He’s not just cute.” Sephiroth frowned. “Well, yes, he’s cute. But he’s also quiet, smart, and considerate. He seems like a fine person.”

Zack guffawed. “Well, you’re not wrong, but you’ve decided all of this without even having a conversation with him?”

“I have based this off several sources of evidence: anecdotal evidence from yourself, observing his interactions with others from afar, and from reports by his trainers.”

“Gaia, you might be a bit of a stalker but you sound in deep. Ayway, he definitely thinks you hate him now. So, what are we going to do about this?”

Sephiroth frowned. “Procedurally, I should go see Hojo to get treatment for this. But I would rather not – see Hojo, nor have these feelings removed.”

“Ugh, you can be a real idiot sometimes. No, I mean, how are you gonna sort this out with Cloud?”

“Hmmm. Clearly, face to face interactions will be a struggle. I wonder if there is a way to monopolize on my other skills in communicating with Cloud.”

“What communication skills do you have?” Zack asked, genuinely interested in the other man’s self-assessment.

“….Report writing?”

“We can work with that….. yeah….”

\------

_Dear Cloud_

_I would like to apologise for my behaviour the other day. Unfortunately, I was feeling unwell and did not adequately explain the circumstances. This may have created the impression that I was displeased with your presence. This was untrue._

_I would be appreciative if you would provide me with an opportunity to explain myself. I am aware that you have an hour free this Thursday following tactical lessons at 14:00. If you are willing to give me a chance, please meet me in the atrium garden on floor 36. Your swipe card will grant access._

_Kind regards_

_Sephiroth_

He’d read the letter over five times already, afraid he had gotten it wrong. He still didn’t really understand why Sephiroth felt the need to smooth things over with him, but at least the man had basically said he wasn’t angry at him.

It didn’t stop him from being nervous, though.

Cloud took the elevator up, smoothing his hair futilely. He had washed it fresh after training this morning, and was wearing his neatest uniform. For all that it was, he was still just a trooper in the basic uniform.

The 36th floor seemed relatively empty. He was nervous about being seen with the General, but by the look of the piled storage boxes and manilla folders, a department had moved out recently, leaving only one or two people left at their desks. He walked past a portly man who appeared to be dozing with his head on his hand, eyes half-closed. Another woman was clearly just browsing social media on her phone, her desktop running a screensaver. She gave Cloud a cursory look, but glanced away with disinterest.

He approached the atrium with trepidation. It looked impressively green, an island of nature in the urban tower. Midgar was an urban jungle, and although he didn’t realise how much he loved the natural environment until he was removed from it, he was getting rapidly used to it. The way Shinra used nature like a decorative painting or a novelty bothered him, but it was still a relief to see a bit of green.

He entered the glasshouse, glancing around for the General.

There he was, standing as tall and identifiable as a banner. He looked so noble. Like every time Cloud saw him, he had to resist taking in a breath in awe.

Cloud approached him, carefully. Sephiroth saw him, of _course_ he did. He rotated his body, just slightly, to watch Cloud. But he didn’t say anything, didn’t acknowledge him.

“Good afternoon, Sir” Cloud greeted him.

Sephiroth continued to stare at him. Cloud could feel himself wilting under the gaze. _Is he serious? Did he summon me here just to ignore me again?_

Suddenly, the General made a motion with his mouth. It looked like a swallow. It seemed ridiculous, but was it possible he was nervous too? Why would he be?

But then, “Good afternoon, Cloud.” He finally said. It was the first time he had ever heard him speak up close, and hearing Cloud’s name on his lips was surprisingly familiar. His voice was more quiet than Cloud expected, nearly hesitant. He supposed he must put on the persona in the interviews. “Thank you for coming to meet with me. I appreciate it.”

“It’s not a bother, really.” Cloud answered.

He waited to hear what Sephiroth asked him hear to say, but nothing happened. As he watched, the other man seemed to swallow again, and then started coughing. They were small, muffled coughs, before he knew it the other man was bending over, into full-body coughs that seemed rock Sephiroth’s body.

“General?” Cloud asked, concerned. He didn’t get any response, and inched closer. The other man seemed to be struggling. He reached out, touched his shoulder. “Sephiroth? Are you ok?” He didn’t even consider in the moment how inappropriate it was for him to touch the General, or call him by his name.

But Sephiroth’s body lurched, and for a moment all he could think of is that the other man – _his hero_ – was about to vomit on him. But instead, when he opened his mouth, a small stream of delicate blue flowers came sailing out, spreading on the floor. He reached out, grasping one of the small flowers as it floated by. They looked like the type of blooms that came out after winter ended, breaking up the white of winter with a burst of colour spreading across the fields.

He looked up with wonder and confusion. “What? Flowers?”

Sephiroth was still bent over, but didn’t seem to be in pain anymore. He appeared to be embarrassed, and his hair was dishevelled and face flushed pink with the exertion of coughing.

“I must apologise for this also, it seems. This… _affliction_ , is known to be triggered by unrequited romantic feelings. I do not want you to feel any responsibility for my ailment, however.” He explained, softly.

Cloud blinked at him. They were still close, his hand was on Sephiroth’s shoulder. For some reason, he couldn’t move it. His brain was moving so slowly, he did not understand what was happening.

“Romantic feelings? I don’t und – my responsibility? You have – romantic feelings for me?” the words sounded ridiculous, even as they left his mouth. “But _why?”_

“I know we haven’t spoken before this, but from what I have observed, you are an intelligent young man, empathetic to others, and you apply yourself. You are also exceptionally beautiful, Cloud.”

He started lifting up from his bent over position, somehow pulling Cloud up with him. Both standing, Cloud was a good head smaller than him but they could still look into each other’s eyes. It felt surprisingly intimate.

“I am sorry for placing this burden on you, but without being forward, but what would your feelings be about exploring the potential of a romantic relationship between you and I?”

“General – “

“Please Cloud, call me Sephiroth.”

“Okay – Sephiroth –“

Cloud looked at him. He thought about how weird the world was. The General of the Shinra Army was here, confessing his romantic intentions. He seemed so earnest, so vulnerable. Even with his fancy words and formality, he was just a _guy_. _Just be chill._

“Yes?”

“How would you feel about getting burgers and … maybe eating them together, and talking this time?”

Sephiroth’s mouth quirked, just slightly, into a small smile. “Yes, I think that would be acceptable.”

“And – “ he swallowed. He thought about why he was here. To be a Soldier. To be strong, and to be more confident. _No better time to start than now_. “And I think you’re overthinking things a little bit.”

With that, he moved his other hand to Sephiroth’s jacket lapel and used it to pull the other man down slightly, whilst he surged up to meet him. He pressed his lips against Sephiroth’s, a bit clumsily. He felt Sephiroth hesitate slightly, before the older man’s arms came to wrap around his waist, helping him with the angle slightly. Sephiroth kissed back, softly, moving his lips against him. He clearly had more practice than Cloud, and directed the kiss.

He was warm, and smelled masculine. Cloud got lost in the sensation, the feeling of the other man pressing lightly against his body. The whole thing felt like a dream, but it also felt so _real_.

He realised with a start that he was running out of breath, and pulled out. Sephiroth kept him close with one arm, and his other hand came to cup the side of Cloud’s cheek. His hand was warm and comforting.

Cloud watched him for a second. “No coughing?”

“No coughing.” Sephiroth answered, with that small smile again. “You don’t have class until 15:00, correct?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Just thought I’d check,” he answered, softly. Then he pulled Cloud in a bit tighter, their hot breath mingling. “We have plenty of time….”

With that, he angled his face down again, and this time Cloud met him easily, and nothing felt as natural as melting into his embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> my trooper!Cloud will always be a bit hesitant and self-deprecating, sorry! That's just how it works for me. He's so young.   
> This was absolutely the hardest prompt because I feel like every iteration has been done already!   
> Day 6 so clooose to the end oooo


End file.
